Managing Over-the-Counter Constipation: Laxative

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is for students to explore the over-the-counter options to manage constipation.

Preparing the Assignment

Follow these guidelines when completing each component of the assignment. Contact your course faculty if you have questions.

1. General instructions
   1. Use Canva.com or other infographic development tool of your choice to create a patient teaching aid about over-the-counter treatments for constipation.
2. Include the following sections/headings. You do not have to use these exact words for headings, but they should be labeled in a way that is very clear to your instructor of which topic you are addressing.
   1. When should a laxative be used?
   1. Classification/Types (Bulk, Osmotic, Stimulant, Surfactant)
   1. How each type works
   1. Examples of each
      1. When should each laxative type be considered?
      1. When would each laxative type be contraindicated?
3. Caution of laxative overuse
   1. Symptoms of laxative overuse
   1. Long-term health risks of laxative overuse
   1. Who is at risk?
   1. Possible referrals
4. Format
   1. Readability
   1. Lay language for patients
   1. Creativity
      1. The format should not match the layout shown in the example image. Be creative.
   1. Reference(s)
      1. References used should be noted at the bottom of your infographic in a smaller font as not to distract from information provided but also validating the information came from a reliable source.
      1. References should be from either your textbook or a professional source such as American Gastroenterological Association (Links to an external site.), Prescriber’s Digital Reference, etc. References should not be from sources such as MayoClinic, WebMD, etc. Additionally, avoid use of journal articles for this assignment as you are looking for a more global consensus than that of one journal article.
5. Screen shot
   1. Provide a screen shot of your infographic in Canva or other platform of your choice.   
   1. Make sure to highlight in some manner the day and time your infographic was created like the image below.   
   1. The infographic you submit should match the screen shot you submit with your assignment.   
   1. Of course, the date your infographic is created should also coincide with the session of your submission.